Seine-float



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8v S R EINE PL'oT CHATH PatentedA ,YW/ ay (No Model.) f 2 sheets-sheet 2.

H. W. RYALL & R. J. GHATHAM. SEINE FLOAT.

No. 557,611. Patented Apr. 7, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY lV. RYALL AND ROBERT J. CHATHABI, OF VHAYLAND, MARYLAND.

SEINE-FLOAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part Of Letters Patent NO. 557,611, dated April '7, 1895.

Application filed September 18, 1895. Serial No. 562,872. (No model.)

To all 'wwnt it nul/y concern:

3e it known that we, HENRY XV. RYALL and ROBERT J. CHATHAM, citizens of the United States, residing at Whayland, in the county of Wicomico and State of Maryland, have invented a new and useful Seine-Float, of which the following is a speciiication.

Our invention relates to seine-floats adapted to be used as substitutes for the cork ioats which are employed in the present practice, the object in view being to provide floats adapted for this purpose each ot' which may be used in lieu of ten or more of the ordinary iioats, whereby for a seine of approximately one hundred and eighty feet in length three ot' the floats embodying our invention will suffice. Furthermore, to provide means for attaching a seine to the float, whereby the former may be lowered into the water a sufiicient distance to allow a boat or vessel to pass thereover'instead of raising or otherwise disarranging the same, and, furthermore, to provide the improved iioat with means whereby the seine may be caught up and supported while fishing the tunnels or raising the funnels of the seine to remove the sh therefrom.

Further objects and advantages of this invention will appear in the following description,and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims. ln the drawings, Figure l is a view of a seine supported by floats embodying our invention. Fig. 2 is a detail view in perspective of the iloat. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the same.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

The float consists of a box having sides, ends, and top and inclosing a plurality of water-tight cylinders 2, the ends of which are iitted in seats in the inner surfaces of the sides of the box. Connecting the lower edges of the sides is a cross-bar 3, in which is formed a guide-opening i in alinement with a similar guide-opening 5 in the top of the box, a sheave or grooved roller 6 being arranged contiguous to said guide-opening in the top of the box to carry aline 7, whichis attached to the net. A

cleat 8 is attached to the upper side or top of the box for engagementby the said line to support the net at the desired elevation, said net being provided with the usual weights employed for the purpose of sinking the same. Pivotally mounted upon the ends of the box are supportingarms 9, in the paths of which are arranged stop-pins 10 to limit the downward movement of their free ends, said arms terminating in upturned or hook-shaped portions for engagement by the meshes of a net 6o to support the latter in a convenient position for raising the funnels.

The water-tight cylinders which we have shown in the drawings are corrugated or ribbed, the advantage of such construction 6 5 being that it strengthens the walls of the cylinders and prevents the bending or denting thereof. Y

The intervals between the floats are such as to allow a boat or vessel of ordinary size 7o to pass therebetween, and when the draft of such boat is more than the depression of the upper edge of the net the latter may be lowered by loosening the lines from the cleats and allowing the weights to carry the net vto a greater depth.

An important advantage of the construction above described resides in the fact that the cost of the improved float is less than that of the number of cork iioats in lieu of which 8o it is used, and, furthermore, the iioats are detached from the net when the latter is raised, and hence is not reeled with the net as when cork floats are employed.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

lVith the ioats above described a seine may 9o be arranged to fish across the tide, as will be understood by those familiar with the art.

Having described our invention, what we claim isi l. A seine-float having a casing open at its bottom and inclosing a plurality of parallel transversely-disposed Water-tight cylinders equally distributed upon opposite sides of the center of the casing, and means for attaching a seine line or cord to the casing, at its cenroo ter between said cylinders, substantially as specified.

meshes ofthe seine or net, substantially as specified.

In testimony that We claim the foregoing as our own We have hereto affixed our signa- 15 tures in the presence of two Witnesses.

HENRY W. RYALL. ROBERT J. CHATHAM. Vitnesses:

JAMES T. TRUITT, JOHN W. FARLOW. 

